Method and System for Interworking Plurality of Applications

ABSTRACT

An application interoperation method including the steps of: maintaining a handler table including data type information, function information and calling information which are associated with each application installed in a portable device; receiving input information on a menu key of the portable device, from a user, while a first application is active; extracting, in response to the receipt of the input information, at least one function information associated with data type information of data, which is being processed or requested by the first application, from the handler table; dynamically generating a menu including the extracted at least one function information to provide the user with the generated menu; receiving selection information on particular function information among the provided menu, from the user; and identifying calling information associated with the selected particular function information by referring to the handler table and executing a second application on the basis of the identified calling information.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a method and system for interoperationof a plurality of applications by a dynamically generated menu in anapplication utilized in a portable device.

BACKGROUND ART

A browser for the wireless Internet (e.g., Wireless Application Protocol(WAP) browser), or an application embodying a particular function(application program) is generally utilized to use various functions ina portable device. The application is divided into two types ofapplications. One is an application which is installed in a portabledevice during manufacturing thereof (hereinafter, referred to as“embedded application”). The other is an application which is downloadedand installed by a method such as the Internet while the application isbeing used (hereinafter, referred to as “download application”).

In the case of the embedded application, it is possible to know whattype of application is installed, at a point in time when theapplication is installed in a portable device. Accordingly, theapplication may be manufactured to call another application asnecessary. As an example, while a phone book application installed in aportable device is active, a user selects one telephone number andpresses a menu key. Then, a menu capable of transmitting a shortmessaging service (SMS) to the selected telephone number may be providedto the user.

However, new services for mobile phones are being continuously released.Also, many services utilize a download application. In the case of adownload application which is downloaded and installed after a mobilephone has been released, it is not possible to forecast interoperabilityof an application in the released mobile phone. Accordingly,interoperation between applications as described above is impossible.

A Graphic User Interface (GUI) operating system of a desktop computer,such as a personal computer, has provided various methods enabling anefficient interoperation between various applications. (1) A copy &paste method via a clipboard, (2) a share method via a file, and (3) amethod of using a shell are representative examples.

In the case of the method (1), if a user selects and copies a portion ofdata or selects and copies all data while one application is active, theselected data is copied to a clipboard area of an operating system.After this, when pasting to another application, data of the clipboardis inserted into the other application. Accordingly, the user does notneed to input data separately.

In the case of the method (2), if data is stored in a file system in oneapplication, the stored data may be read by another application. In thisinstance, an extension of a file name may be utilized as arepresentative method for determining a data type which can be processedin another application.

In the case of the method (3), a shell which is a program operating witha GUI at all times is utilized. As an example, if an application isinstalled in currently widely used Microsoft Windows and the applicationis registered as a handler with respect to a data file having aparticular extension, a menu is displayed when a user selects the filehaving the particular extension via a file search and presses a rightbutton of a mouse. In this instance, the handler of the data file isincluded in the menu. The user selects one file in the menu and ahandler application processes the selected file.

The methods as described above have been limitedly utilized in a mobilephone. This is because the operating system of the mobile phone has notgenerally provided a corresponding function for applications. Also, auser interface of the mobile phone is mainly for tasks and has almost noshell functions which can generally browse or process data files.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Goals

The present invention is conceived to solve the aforementioned problemsin the conventional art. The present invention provides an applicationinteroperation method and system, which can dynamically generate a menuof an application according to a type of data that a user is currentlyusing and an application installed in a terminal device, in a portabledevice having a limited input/output device but capable of utilizingvarious applications, thereby enabling interoperation of at least twoapplications. This is to improve efficiency of the terminal device andthe application.

The present invention also provides an application interoperation methodand system which enables one application to interoperate with anotherapplication when transmitting/receiving data, and also adopts a methodof not hard-coding an association method in a logic of an application.This is to enable an association between download applications or anassociation between an embedded application and a download application.Also, this is to help a user to more easily and effectively utilize aportable device.

The present invention also provides an application interoperation methodand system which can dynamically generate a menu of a currently activeapplication, with respect to a portable device having almost no functioncorresponding to a shell or having difficulty of switching between anapplication and a shell.

The present invention also provides an application interoperation methodand system which is not limited to a particular function, and canprocess, generate and refined data by including both input data andoutput data types.

The present invention also provides an application interoperation methodand system which can reduce user manipulation by directly executinganother application, while not terminating one application and also canincrease efficient utilization of an application.

Technical Solutions

To achieve the above objectives and solve the aforementioned problems inthe conventional art, according to an aspect of the present invention,there is provided an application interoperation method, including thesteps of: maintaining a handler table including data type information,function information and calling information which are associated witheach application installed in a portable device; receiving inputinformation on a menu key of the portable device, from a user, while afirst application is active; extracting, in response to the receipt ofthe input information, at least one function information associated withdata type information of data, which is being processed or requested bythe first application, from the handler table; dynamically generating amenu including the extracted at least one function information toprovide the user with the generated menu; receiving selectioninformation on particular function information among the provided menu,from the user; and identifying calling information associated with theselected particular function information by referring to the handlertable and executing a second application on the basis of the identifiedcalling information.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the executing ofthe second application further includes the steps of: generating apredetermined command on the basis of an application identifier or anoption identifier included in the identified calling information; andexecuting a second application corresponding to the applicationidentifier included in the command, and the method further includes thestep of the second application recognizing the command and performing afunction according to the selected particular function information.

According to still another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an application interoperation system including: a tablemaintenance unit maintaining a handler table including data typeinformation, function information and calling information which areassociated with each application installed in a portable device; aninput information receiving unit receiving input information on a menukey of the portable device, from a user, while a first application isactive; a function information extraction unit extracting at least onefunction information associated with data type information of data,which is being processed or requested by the first application, from thehandler table, in response to the receipt of the input information; amenu providing unit dynamically generating a menu including theextracted at least one function information and providing the user withthe generated menu; a selection information receiving unit receivingselection information on particular function information among theprovided menu, from the user; and an application execution unitidentifying calling information associated with the selected particularfunction information by referring to the handler table and executing asecond application on the basis of the identified calling information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an application interoperation methodaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a handler table accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating interoperation of a plurality ofapplications processing a particular type of data according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating interoperation of a plurality ofapplications generating a particular type of data according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a handler table for explaininginteroperation of a plurality of applications filtering a particulartype of data according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an applicationinteroperation system according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

To more easily and effectively utilize a portable device, the presentinvention enables data to be transmitted/received between oneapplication and another application. Namely, the present inventionenables interoperation therebetween. Also, the present invention adoptsa method of not hard-coding an association method in a logic of anapplication. This is to enable an association between downloadapplications or an association between an embedded application and adownload application.

In the present invention, each application may perform at least onefunction of: 1) processing a particular type of data (data processingfunction), 2) generating a particular type of data (data generatingfunction), and 3) filtering a particular type of data (data filteringfunction). Also, an application may not perform any function describedabove.

1) The data processing function includes a function of storing data in acertain area of a terminal or transmitting data to a predeterminedserver via a network. As an example, the data processing function mayinclude a function of storing image data as a background screen of aterminal or a function of transmitting image data to a predetermined webserver.

In the present invention, an application interoperation method isprovided which can process generated data in one application by usinganother application, while a user utilizes the one application.

2) The data generating function includes a function of generating newdata or enabling a user to select a portion of existing data. An aexample, the data generating function may include a function of taking apicture and generating an image file, or a function of recording a voiceand generating a voice file, or a function of enabling a user to selectone or two telephone numbers from a phone book.

In the present invention, an application interoperation method isprovided, which can generate necessary data in one application by usinganother application, while a user utilizes the one application.

3) The data filtering function includes a function of receiving aparticular type of data and subsequently outputting the same or adifferent type of data. As an example, the data filtering function mayinclude a function of receiving photo data and adding a frame to theframework of the photo data.

In the present invention, an application interoperation method isprovided, which can refined data being utilized in one application byusing another application, while a user utilizes the one application.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an application interoperation methodaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

The application interoperation method according to the presentembodiment may be performed in a predetermined applicationinteroperation system. In this instance, an operating system of aportable device and a plurality of applications may interoperate in theapplication interoperation system.

Accordingly, hereinafter, an application interoperation system referredto as a subject performing each step may designate an application or anoperation for the each step. As an example, to generate a dynamic menuaccording to interoperation of a plurality of applications, anapplication may transmit its data type to an operating system, directlyreceive a handler table value corresponding to the data type, andgenerate the dynamic menu. However, the aforementioned function may beincluded in the operating system.

In step S101, the application interoperation system maintains apredetermined handler table. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of thehandler table. Referring to FIG. 2, the handler table includes data typeinformation 201, function information 202 and calling information 203which are associated with each application installed in a portabledevice.

The data type information 201 includes information on input and outputtypes of data which can be processed or generated in the eachapplication. As an example, the data type information 201 may includeinformation, such as “image/jpeg”, “text/plain”, “phonebook/shortkey”,etc., as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The function information 202 includes information on a function that theeach application may perform with respect to a particular data type. Asan example, the function information 202 may include information, suchas “post a picture to cyworld”, “write a memo in cyworld”, “visit ahomepage”, etc., as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The calling information 203 includes information on a command forcalling the each application. The command may include an applicationidentifier, an option identifier, target data or a file name, and thelike.

As an example, as illustrated in FIG. 2, in calling information such as“cyworld -p %1”, “cyworld” is designated as an application identifiercapable of identifying an application, “-p” as an option identifiercapable of identifying a particular function from a plurality offunctions of a “cyworld” application, and “%1” as a location ofinformation such as a file name or target data which the “cyworld”application has to process.

For the maintaining of the handler table (step S101), when the eachapplication is initially executed in a portable device, the eachapplication may register the data type information 201, the functioninformation 202 and the calling information 203 in the handler tableusing an application programming interface (API) of an operating systeminstalled in the portable device.

Also, an application management module of the operating system installedin the portable device may read the data type information 201, thefunction information 202 and the calling information 203 included in adescriptor file associated with the each application and, and registerthe same in the handler table.

When the each application is uninstalled from the portable device, theoperating system deletes an item associated with the uninstalledapplication, from the handler table.

In the present specification, a Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions(MIME) type classification method, which is widely used in the Internet,is utilized as the data type information 201 to specify a data type, butthis is only for convenience of description. The data type information201 is not limited thereto and any type of classification method may beutilized in the present invention.

In step S102, while a first application is active, the applicationinteroperation system receives input information on a menu key of theportable device, from a user.

In step S103, in response to the receipt of the input information, theapplication interoperation system extracts at least one functioninformation associated with data type information of data which is beingprocessed or requested by the first application, from the handler table.

In this case, step S103 may be a step of extracting a list including theat least one function information from the handler table.

In step S104, the application interoperation system dynamicallygenerates a menu including the extracted at least one functioninformation. In step S105, the application interoperation systemprovides the user with the dynamically generated menu.

In this case, step S104 may further include a step of dynamically addingthe extracted list to a basic menu associated with the firstapplication. Also, step S104 may be a step of arranging the extracted atleast one function information according to a frequency of use and amost recently used order, and providing the user with the generatedmenu.

In step S106, the application interoperation system receives selectioninformation on particular function information in the provided menu,from the user. In step S107, the application interoperation systemidentifies calling information associated with the selected particularfunction information by referring to the handler table.

In step S108, the application interoperation system generates apredetermined command on the basis of the application identifier or theoption identifier which is included in the identified callinginformation. The application identifier functions to identify anapplication. The option identifier functions to identify each function,when one application performs a plurality of functions.

An exemplary type and a utilization method of the application identifierand the option identifier will be described later in detail withreference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

In step S109, the application interoperation system executes a secondapplication corresponding to the application identifier included in thecommand.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, although data isidentical to data type information registered in the handler table, theapplication interoperation system may limit an applicationinteroperation function according to detailed properties of data orwhether paid contents whose distribution is limited exists. For this, todetermine whether a particular function is active, the applicationinteroperation system may specify a predetermined function and a methodof calling the function in the handler table. In this instance, thefunction determines an appropriateness of an execution function beforeexecuting an actual command. In this case, if it takes a long time tocall the function, a menu to be displayed to a user may be delayed also.Accordingly, the function may be embodied in a dynamic link library(DLL) separate from the present execution file of an application.

In step S110, the second application recognizes the command and performsa function according to the selected particular function information.When the second application finishes the function, the applicationinteroperation system immediately terminates the second application instep S111, and activates the first application in step S112.

According to the present invention, in steps S101 to S112, in a portabledevice having a limited input/output device but capable of using variousapplications, such as a mobile phone, a menu of an application may bedynamically generated according to the application installed in aterminal device and a type of data that a user is currently using.Through this configuration, interoperation of at least two applicationsis possible. Namely, it is possible to increase utilization of theterminal device and the application.

Hereinafter, various embodiments for embodying the above-describedapplication interoperation method according to the present inventionwill be described.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating interoperation of a plurality ofapplications processing a particular type of data according to anembodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 3, it is assumed that the above-described first application is a“camera” application which is an embedded application having a functionof taking a picture or selecting a picture in an album. Also, in FIG. 3,it is assumed that the above-described second application is a “cyworld”application which is a download application having a function oftransmitting a JPEG image file or a text message to its blog orhomepage.

The “cyworld” application registers input/output data type information,function information and calling information in a handler table of anoperating system, in a point in time when the “cyworld” application isregistered in a portable device (S301).

Also, an application management module of the operating system installedin the portable device may read data type information, functioninformation and calling information included in a descriptor fileassociated with the “cyworld” application, and register the same in thehandler table, as described above.

When a user takes a picture and presses a menu key, the “camera”application requests the operating system for a list of functionscapable of processing “image/jpeg” which is a data type included in the“camera” application (S302). The operating system transmits a listincluding items 320 to the “camera” application (S303). Also, the“camera” application dynamically adds the list to a menu and providesthe user with the dynamically generated menu.

When the user selects “post a picture to cyworld” in the dynamicallygenerated menu, the “camera” application stores the picture in atemporary file. Also, to transmit a name of the temporary file to the“cyworld” application, the “camera” application replaces the name of thetemporary file with a portion in which “%1” is specified in callinformation of the handler table, and generates a command below,

cyword -p tmp_file_name

The “cyworld” application is executed by using the generated command.Also, the “cyworld” application recognizes the option identifier “-p”and the name of the temporary file, executes a function of transmittingthe taken picture to a predetermined server without a user's input. The“cyworld” application is terminated immediately after finishing thefunction (S305). In this instance, the “cyworld” application may enablea user to input additional information such as a comment on the picture.When the “cyworld” application is terminated, the operating systemactivates the “camera” application again.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when particularfunction information selected by a user is a function of transmittingimage data, the application interoperation system may store image data,which is being processed by the first application, in a temporary file,and generate a command including an application identifier, an optionidentifier, and a name of the temporary file. Also, when performing thefunction according to the selected particular function information, thesecond application may recognize the option identifier and the name ofthe temporary file and transmit the image data to a predeterminedserver.

Hereinafter, an embodiment which may be embodied when particularfunction information selected by a user is a function of transmittingtext data will be described.

When a user finds interesting news while watching news via a WAP browser(first application) installed in his/her portable device and wants toupload the interesting news to his/her blog, the user presses a menu keyin the WAP browser. In this case, the WAP browser receives a list ofapplications capable of processing data in the type of “text/plain” froman operating system, dynamically generates a menu and provides the userwith the dynamically generated menu.

If the user selects “write a memo in cyworld” in the dynamicallygenerated menu, the WAP browser converts the memo of a current page intotext and transmits the same to the “cyworld” application (secondapplication). In this case, a command may be generated below.

cyword -t “making a living for years with a nail in its forehead . . . ”

In this case, unlike image data, the memo stored in a memory buffer doesnot need to be stored in a separate file and may be immediatelytransmitted. Accordingly, the “cyworld” application enables a user tomodify the stored text data and transmits the same to the user's blog.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when particularfunction information selected by a user is a function of transmittingtext data, the application interoperation system may convert data, whichis being processed by the first application, into text data, andgenerate a command including an application identifier, an optionidentifier and text data. Also, the second application may recognize theoption identifier and the text image, and transmit the text data to apredetermined server.

Hereinafter, an embodiment which may be embodied when particularfunction information selected by a user is a function of providing apredetermined webpage will be described.

A user B transmits an SMS to a user A, and the user A presses a menu keywith regard to reading the SMS via his/her portable device. In thisinstance, the SMS includes a text that the user B has added a new textin his/her homepage.

Currently provided data to the user A includes the text of the SMS and acaller (telephone number). Accordingly, an “SMS” application (firstapplication) receives a list of applications capable of processing datain the type of “text/plain” and “phonebook/shortkey”, from an operatingsystem, collects the same into one menu and provides the user A with themenu.

When the user A selects “visit a homepage” in the menu, the “SMS”application may generate a command for executing the “cyworld”application (second application) by using currently provided SMSinformation. The command is generated below.

cyworld -h “honggildong/TEL:TYPE=mobile:0115555555”

The “cyworld” application accesses a predetermined server according tothe command, identifies a blog page of honggildong (a name of the user Btransmitting the SMS), and displays the text.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when particularfunction information selected by a user is a function of providing apredetermined webpage, the application interoperation system mayidentify caller information associated with data which is beingprocessed by the first application, and generate a command including anapplication identifier, an option identifier and caller information.Also, the second application may recognize the option identifier and thecaller information and provide a webpage associated with the callerinformation.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating interoperation of a plurality ofapplications generating a particular type of data according to anembodiment of the present invention.

When generating data according to the present embodiment, anotherapplication (second application) is executed in a situation that anapplication (first application) to use data is initially being executed,and data is obtained. This is different from the data processingaccording to the above-described embodiment.

When a user initially activates a “cyworld” application (firstapplication) and wants to post a picture while using the “cyworld”application, the user presses a menu key and selects a function, “post apicture”. In this case, the “cyworld” application requests an operatingsystem for a list of functions capable of generating “image/jpeg” data(S401). The operating system transmits the list including items 410, tothe “cyworld” application (S402).

The “cyworld” application dynamically generates a menu from the list andprovides the user with the dynamically generated menu. If the userselects “take a picture” in the dynamically generated menu, the“cyworld” application may generate a command for executing a “camera”application (second application). The command may be generated below.

camera -s tmp_file

The “camera” application takes a picture and stores the same in a filehaving the designated name, “tmp_file” (S403). Also, when the “camera”application is terminated, the “cyworld” application is reactivated. The“cyworld” application reads the picture from “tmp_file” and posts thesame to a predetermined web server.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when particularfunction information is a function of uploading data, the applicationinteroperation system may designate a name of a temporary file to storedata requested by the first application and generate a command includingan application identifier, an option identifier and the name of thetemporary file. Also, the second application may recognize the optionidentifier and the name of the temporary file, generate the requesteddata, and store the same as the name of the temporary file.

In the present embodiment, the application interoperation systemterminates the second application and activates the first application.The first application may read the generated data from the temporaryfile and upload the same to a predetermined server.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a handler table for explaininginteroperation of a plurality of application filtering a particular typeof data according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, in the handler table according to the presentembodiment, an application simultaneously includes an input data typeand an output data type as its data type information 501. In thisinstance, a data filtering function may be specified.

With the assumptions that a user takes a picture, decorates the pictureusing a frame and prints the framed picture, and also reduces the sizeof the picture, and transmits the picture to a friend in an MMS, thepresent embodiment will be described.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, data type information 501 of a “photoframe”application for decorating a frame and a “resize” application forchanging a size, function information and calling information areregistered in the handler table.

When a user selects one picture in an album application (firstapplication) while viewing a picture and presses a menu key, the albumapplication receives a list of functions whose input data type andoutput data type are in the type of “image/jpeg”, from an operatingsystem. Also, the album application dynamically generates a menuincluding items of “frame effect” and “size change”, and provides theuser with the dynamically generated menu.

If the user selects “frame effect”, the album application identifies afile name of the currently selected picture and designates the file nameas argument (%1). Also, the album application generates a command forgenerating a name of a temporary file and designating the name asargument (%2). According to the command, a “photoframe” application(second application) is executed.

The “photoframe” application reads the picture designated as %1, adds aframe thereto, and stores the results in the file designated as %2.After this, the “photoframe” application is terminated.

The album application is activated again and provides the user with thefiltered file as above. In this instance, the user presses a menu keyand selects a function, “print”. According to the selection, apredetermined print application (second application) is executed,uploads a newly generated file to a predetermined server, and selects aprint option. After this, the print application is terminated. In thisinstance, a method of executing the print application will be the sameas in FIG. 3. Accordingly, repeating description related thereto will beomitted herein.

In the reactivated album application, if the user presses a menu key andselects “size change”, the “resize” application (second application) isexecuted in the same method as the method of executing the “photoframe”application. The “resize” application changes the size of the pictureinto the size designated by the user and stores the changed size. Afterthis, the “resize” application is terminated. The album application isreactivated, selects the filtered picture and provides the user with thefiltered picture.

Also, if the user presses a menu key and selects “transmit MMS”, apredetermined MMS transmission application (second application) isexecuted. The MMS transmission application transmits the filteredpicture to a friend and is terminated.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when particularfunction information selected by a user is a function of filtering data,the application interoperation system may identify a file name of databeing processed by the first application and designate a name of anothertemporary file. Also, the application interoperation system may generatea command including an application identifier, the identified file nameand the name of the temporary file. Also, the second application mayrecognize the identified file name and the name of the temporary file,read the identified file name, filter the data, and store the filtereddata as the name of the temporary file.

In the present embodiment, the application interoperation systemterminates the second application and activates the first application.Also, the first application may read and display the filtered data fromthe temporary file.

According to the present invention, there is provided an applicationinteroperation method and system which is not limited to a particularfunction, and can include input data and output data types, therebyprocessing, generating and filtering data.

The embodiments of the present invention include computer readable mediaincluding program instructions to implement various operations embodiedby a computer. The media may also include, alone or in combination withthe program instructions, data files, data structures, tables, and thelike. The media and program instructions may be those specially designedand constructed for the purposes of the present invention, or they maybe of the kind well known and available to those having skill in thecomputer software arts. Examples of computer-readable media includemagnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tape;optical media such as CD ROM disks; magneto-optical media such asfloptical disks; and hardware devices that are specially configured tostore and perform program instructions, such as read-only memory devices(ROM) and random access memory (RAM). The media may also be atransmission medium such as optical or metallic lines, wave guides, etc.including a carrier wave transmitting signals specifying the programinstructions, data structures, etc. Examples of program instructionsinclude both machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and filescontaining higher level code that may be executed by the computer usingan interpreter.

Hereinafter, an application interoperation system according to anotherembodiment will be described.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of theapplication interoperation system according to the present embodiment.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, an application interoperation system 600according to the present embodiment includes a table maintenance unit601, an input information receiving unit 602, a function informationextraction unit 603, a menu providing unit 604, a selection informationreceiving unit 605, and an application execution unit 606.

The table maintenance unit 601 maintains a handler table. The handlertable includes data type information, function information and callinginformation which are associated with each application installed in aportable device. An example of the handler table is illustrated in FIG.2. This has been described above, thus repeated description relatedthereto will be omitted herein.

The input information receiving unit 602 receives input information on amenu key of the portable device, from a user 610, while a firstapplication is active.

The function information extraction unit 603 extracts at least onefunction information associated with data type information of data,which is being processed or requested by the first application, from thehandler table, in response to the receipt of the input information. Inthis case, the function information extraction unit 603 may extract alist including the at least one function information, from the handlertable.

The menu providing unit 604 dynamically generates a menu including theextracted at least one function information and provides the user 610with the generated menu. In this case, the menu providing unit 604 maygenerate the menu by dynamically adding the extracted list to a basicmenu associated with the first application. Also, the menu providingunit 604 may generate the menu by arranging the extracted at least onefunction information according to a frequency of use and a most recentlyused order.

The selection information receiving unit 605 receives selectioninformation on particular function information in the provided menu,from the user 610.

The application execution unit 606 identifies calling informationassociated with the selected particular function information byreferring to the handler table and executes a second application on thebasis of the identified calling information.

In this case, the application execution unit 606 may generate apredetermined command on the basis of an application identifier or anoption identifier included in the identified calling information, andmay execute a second application corresponding to the applicationidentifier included in the command. The application identifier functionsto identify an application. The option identifier functions to identifyeach function when one application performs a plurality of functions. Anexemplary type and a utilization method of the application identifierand the option identifier have been described in detail with referenceto FIGS. 3 to 5.

The second application recognizes the command and performs a functionaccording to the selected particular function information. When thesecond application finishes the function, the application interoperationsystem 600 terminates the second application and activates the firstapplication.

As described above, in a portable device having a limited input/outputdevice but capable of using various applications, such as a mobilephone, an application interoperation system according to the presentinvention may dynamically generate a menu of an application according tothe application installed in a terminal device and a type of data that auser is currently using. Through this configuration, interoperation ofat least two applications is possible. Namely, it is possible toincrease utilization of the terminal device and the application.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed, the present invention is not limited to the describedembodiments. Instead, it would be appreciated by those skilled in theart that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing fromthe principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which isdefined by the claims and their equivalents.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

According to the present invention, there is provided an applicationinteroperation method and system, which can dynamically generate a menuof an application according to a type of data that a user is currentlyusing and an application installed in a terminal device, in a portabledevice having a limited input/output device but capable of utilizingvarious applications. Accordingly, interoperation of at least twoapplications is possible. Also, it is possible to improve efficiency ofthe terminal device and the application.

Also, according to the present invention, there is provided anapplication interoperation method and system which enables oneapplication to interoperate with another application whentransmitting/receiving data, and also adopts a method of not hard-codingan association method in a logic of an application. Accordingly, it ispossible to enable an association between download applications or anassociation between an embedded application and a download application.Also, it is possible to help a user to more easily and effectivelyutilize a portable device.

Also, according to the present invention, there is provided anapplication interoperation method and system which can dynamicallygenerate a menu of a currently active application, with respect to aportable device having almost no function corresponding to a shell orhaving difficulty of switching between an application and a shell.

Also, according to the present invention, there is provided anapplication interoperation method and system which is not limited to aparticular function, and can process, generate and filter data byincluding both input data and output data types.

Also, according to the present invention, there is provided anapplication interoperation method and system which can reduce anoperation by directly executing another application, while notterminating one application. Accordingly, it is possible to increaseefficient utilization of an application.

1. A method for interoperation of a plurality of applications, the method comprising the steps of: maintaining a handler table including data type information, function information and calling information which are associated with each application installed in a portable device; receiving input information on a menu key of the portable device, from a user, while a first application is active; extracting, in response to the receipt of the input information, at least one function information associated with data type information of data, which is being processed or requested by the first application, from the handler table; dynamically generating a menu including the extracted at least one function information to provide the user with the generated menu; receiving selection information on particular function information among the provided menu, from the user; and identifying calling information associated with the selected particular function information by referring to the handler table and executing a second application on the basis of the identified calling information.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the maintaining of the handler table comprises the step of: registering function information and calling information in the handler table, with data type information which can be processed or generated in the each application.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein, in the registering, the function information and the calling information are registered in the handler table with the data type information using an application programming interface (API) of an operating system installed in the portable device, when the each application is initially executed in the portable device.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein, in the registering, an application management module of the operating system installed in the portable device reads the data type information, the function information and the calling information included in a descriptor file associated with the each application and registers the same in the handler table.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the maintaining of the handler table further comprises the step of: the operating system, when the each application is uninstalled from the portable device, deleting an item associated with the uninstalled application from the handler table.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the extracting, a list including the at least one function information is extracted from the handler table, and the generating of the menu comprises the step of: dynamically adding the extracted list to a basic menu associated with the first application.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the generating, the extracted at least one function information is arranged according to a frequency of use and a most recently used order, to generate the menu.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the executing of the second application further comprises the steps of: generating a predetermined command on the basis of an application identifier or an option identifier included in the identified calling information; and executing a second application corresponding to the application identifier included in the command, and the method further comprises the step of: the second application recognizing the command and performing a function according to the selected particular function information.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the function includes information on a data processing function including a data storing function or a data transmitting function, a data generating function and a data filtering function.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein, when the selected particular function information is a function of transmitting image data, the generating a predetermined command comprises the steps of: storing image data, which is being processed by the first application, in a temporary file; and generating the command which includes the application identifier, the option identifier and a name of the temporary file, and in the second application performing the function, the second application recognizes the option identifier and the name of the temporary file, and transmits the image data to a predetermined server.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein, when the selected particular function information is a function of transmitting text data, the generating of the command comprises the steps of: converting data, which is being processed by the first application, into text data; and generating the command which includes the application identifier, the option identifier and the text data, and in the second application performing the function, the second application recognizes the option identifier and the text data, and transmits the text data to a predetermined server.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein, when the selected particular function information is a function of providing a predetermined webpage, the generating of the command comprises the steps of: identifying caller information associated with data which is being processed by the first application; and generating the command which includes the application identifier, the option identifier and the caller information, and in the second application performing the function, the second application recognizes the option identifier and the caller information, and provides a webpage associated with the caller information.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein, when the selected particular function information is a function of uploading data, the generating of the command comprises the steps of: designating a name of a temporary file to store data requested by the first application; and generating a command which includes the application identifier, the option identifier and the name of the temporary file, and in the second application performing the function, the second application recognizes the option identifier and the name of the temporary file, generates the requested data and stores the same as the name of the temporary file, and the method further comprises the step of: terminating the second application and activating the first application; and the first application reading the generated data from the temporary file and uploading the same to a predetermined server.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein, when the selected particular function information is a function of filtering data, the generating of the command comprises the steps of: identifying a file name of data being processed by the first application and designating a name of another temporary file; and generating a command which includes the application identifier, the identified file name and a name of the temporary file, and in the second application performing the function, the second application recognizes the identified file name and the name of the temporary file, reads the identified file name, filters the data, and stores the filtered data as the name of the temporary file, and the method further comprises the steps of: terminating the second application and activating the first application; and the first application reading and displaying the filtered data from the temporary file.
 15. The method of claim 8, further comprising: immediately terminating the second application and activating the first application, when the second application completes the function.
 16. A computer readable recording medium storing a program for implementing the method according to claim
 1. 17. A system for interoperation of a plurality of applications, the system comprising: a table maintenance unit maintaining a handler table including data type information, function information and calling information which are associated with each application installed in a portable device; an input information receiving unit receiving input information on a menu key of the portable device, from a user, while a first application is active; a function information extraction unit extracting at least one function information associated with data type information of data, which is being processed or requested by the first application, from the handler table, in response to the receipt of the input information; a menu providing unit dynamically generating a menu including the extracted at least one function information and providing the user with the generated menu; a selection information receiving unit receiving selection information on particular function information among the provided menu, from the user; and an application execution unit identifying calling information associated with the selected particular function information by referring to the handler table and executing a second application on the basis of the identified calling information.
 18. The method of claim 4, wherein the maintaining of the handler table further comprises the step of: the operating system, when the each application is uninstalled from the portable device, deleting an item associated with the uninstalled application from the handler table.
 19. A computer readable recording medium storing a program for implementing the method according to claim
 6. 20. A computer readable recording medium storing a program for implementing the method according to claim
 14. 